A few weeks ago in Arkansas, I was teaching a 40-hour class for armed citizens and off duty cops. The course finishes with a tough written exam on deadly force law and tactics, and a 60-shot live fire qualification encompassing dominant hand only, non-dominant hand only, speed reloads, shooting from cover positions, and cetera. Before the students shoot, the staff runs a “pace-setter”: we shoot the timed course of fire while they watch, so they can get a good mental image of what the stances and techniques they’re expected to perform look like, and how fast they’ll have to do it to score well. Given that there are fixed time limits, this also lets the observers kinda “set their internal clock.” Part of the incentive is, whatever score I shoot, if the student ties me they get an autographed dollar bill inscribed, “You tied me at my own game,” and if they outshoot me, they earn an autographed five-dollar bill that says, “You beat me at my own game.”
Nothing makes me prouder of my students than giving them one of those dollar bills. I confess, however, to mixed feelings about having to pay out a fiver. On the one hand, as I tell them beforehand, there’s no greater compliment a student can pay an instructor than to outperform the teacher in the skill being taught. On the other hand, there’s the personal excoriation of “Oh, crap, I blew it!”
I normally shoot it with a perfect 300 out of 300 points score, as I damn well should, having run this course for decades. But – less than half an hour after telling them to stay at a “conscious competence” level and think about every shot as they’re squeezing it off, I violated my own rule and let myself slip into the “unconscious competence” mode sometimes called “automatic pilot.” The sight alignment was hard and solid from the fifteen yard line, but my stance wasn’t quite perfect for natural point of aim apparently, and about the time that I saw the well-aligned sights had drifted to the right and realized that I was automatically pressing the trigger, there was a very brief instant when I thought, “The sights need to come more left but my finger is pressing the trigger and” — BANG!
The sights told me the story before I saw the bullet hole: I had broken the shot prematurely with the gun aligned to 3 o’clock of where I needed the shot to go, and that was exactly where the 230 grain Winchester .45 ACP hardball bullet hit…just outside the maximum 5-point zone and into the four-point zone. I did what I should have done beforehand, and turned off the auto pilot and went back to conscious competence – thinking about what I was doing. The rest of the shots went center, but I finished with a 299 out of 300…and yes, that cost me more than one five-dollar bill.
I wondered where you’ve been! Good to hear you’re human, Mas. It’s amazing (to me anyway) how much I learn from seemingly each article you write. Gives me confidence I am still teachable at 59 yrs old! The coolest part is I’ve been teaching my wife of 7 years and anyone else that listens, and the results have been impressive, to say the least.
Thank you, Sir!
Michael
I wondered where you’ve been! Good to hear you’re human, Mas. It’s amazing (to me anyway) how much I learn from seemingly each article you write. Gives me confidence I am still teachable at 59 yrs old! The coolest part is I’ve been teaching my wife of 7 years and anyone else that listens, and the results have been impressive, to say the least.
Thank you, Sir!
Michael
Well, I wish I could have been there:) I have a problem with being over-confident. When shooting the plates in GSSF, especially when using the G36, I get over confident after 2 good strings and begin to think I don’t need that front sight; that I can steer the bullets with my mind!
I agree with MC, was wondering where you ran off to. I have been waiting to hear your take on this war on LEOs.
Well, I wish I could have been there:) I have a problem with being over-confident. When shooting the plates in GSSF, especially when using the G36, I get over confident after 2 good strings and begin to think I don’t need that front sight; that I can steer the bullets with my mind!
I agree with MC, was wondering where you ran off to. I have been waiting to hear your take on this war on LEOs.
Congatulations for being such a great instructer. I’ve taken the same course 6 times with MTG, Always with high hopes of beating Bob. Never did. Greatly appreciate your postses
John
Congatulations for being such a great instructer. I’ve taken the same course 6 times with MTG, Always with high hopes of beating Bob. Never did. Greatly appreciate your postses
John
Nothing like screwing up in front of witnesses, is there?
Merle
Nothing like screwing up in front of witnesses, is there?
Merle
Everyone zonks out from time to time. Be thankful, as we are, that you did it on a range and not where your life was on the line.
Everyone zonks out from time to time. Be thankful, as we are, that you did it on a range and not where your life was on the line.
Wait! You mean we were supposed to beat your score??? I don’t recall you saying that! I thought you said “you better NOT beat my score!” I’ll be damned! And there I was giving an old guy a break.
Next time, Mas! Next time…
Wait! You mean we were supposed to beat your score??? I don’t recall you saying that! I thought you said “you better NOT beat my score!” I’ll be damned! And there I was giving an old guy a break.
Next time, Mas! Next time…
Wait! You mean we were supposed to beat your score??? I don’t recall you saying that! I thought you said “you better NOT beat my score!” I’ll be damned! And there I was giving an old guy a break.
Next time, Mas! Next time…
Sounds like something that might occur in a “real” self defense situation, time and circumstances do not allow for perfect foot placement and stance.
Sounds like something that might occur in a “real” self defense situation, time and circumstances do not allow for perfect foot placement and stance.
Glad to hear you messed up, ever so slightly. It makes the rest of us feel better.
The more I hear about fast shooting, the more I think I better take my time (in a hurry). The cops in NYC put down the hatchet-wielding goblin, but apparently one bullet went astray and landed in a bystander’s back. If I ever have to shoot, I’m going to have to answer for every bullet I send downrange. That thought makes me want to pull back the hammer on my revolvers. I know that’s a “no-no” these days.
Randy—Republic of Illinois mentioned the currect “…war on LEOs.” Imagine a Hollywood movie where all the LEOs in America go on strike for one month. America would be unrecognizable after that month of mayhem!
Glad to hear you messed up, ever so slightly. It makes the rest of us feel better.
The more I hear about fast shooting, the more I think I better take my time (in a hurry). The cops in NYC put down the hatchet-wielding goblin, but apparently one bullet went astray and landed in a bystander’s back. If I ever have to shoot, I’m going to have to answer for every bullet I send downrange. That thought makes me want to pull back the hammer on my revolvers. I know that’s a “no-no” these days.
Randy—Republic of Illinois mentioned the currect “…war on LEOs.” Imagine a Hollywood movie where all the LEOs in America go on strike for one month. America would be unrecognizable after that month of mayhem!
Glad to hear you messed up, ever so slightly. It makes the rest of us feel better.
The more I hear about fast shooting, the more I think I better take my time (in a hurry). The cops in NYC put down the hatchet-wielding goblin, but apparently one bullet went astray and landed in a bystander’s back. If I ever have to shoot, I’m going to have to answer for every bullet I send downrange. That thought makes me want to pull back the hammer on my revolvers. I know that’s a “no-no” these days.
Randy—Republic of Illinois mentioned the currect “…war on LEOs.” Imagine a Hollywood movie where all the LEOs in America go on strike for one month. America would be unrecognizable after that month of mayhem!
Fining yourself for screwing up is really excellent self-training strategy, btw.
And it’s a pretty good recommendation for your teaching that you made one little slip and several students beat you.
Fining yourself for screwing up is really excellent self-training strategy, btw.
And it’s a pretty good recommendation for your teaching that you made one little slip and several students beat you.
Your membership card in Human Race is in the mail…. 🙂
Your membership card in Human Race is in the mail…. 🙂
Your membership card in Human Race is in the mail…. 🙂
Mas, I know you shoot many varied courses with many varied guns. Is it possible that the difference in trigger travel or weight may have played a role?
Even if the answer is no, it’s one of my standby excuses. Feel free to use it.
Mas, I know you shoot many varied courses with many varied guns. Is it possible that the difference in trigger travel or weight may have played a role?
Even if the answer is no, it’s one of my standby excuses. Feel free to use it.
Old Fezzywig– I agree. Just how many copy cats are there out there?
It occurred to me that the anti-gunners would use the hatchet attack in NY as a “see if it weren’t for our gun laws in NY this nut job could have killed a lot of people.” The last I heard, the officer that caught it in the head is still critical. I hope he makes it.
Old Fezzywig– I agree. Just how many copy cats are there out there?
It occurred to me that the anti-gunners would use the hatchet attack in NY as a “see if it weren’t for our gun laws in NY this nut job could have killed a lot of people.” The last I heard, the officer that caught it in the head is still critical. I hope he makes it.
Old Fezzywig– I agree. Just how many copy cats are there out there?
It occurred to me that the anti-gunners would use the hatchet attack in NY as a “see if it weren’t for our gun laws in NY this nut job could have killed a lot of people.” The last I heard, the officer that caught it in the head is still critical. I hope he makes it.
Ah Mas, why couldn’t ya have done that during our class in SC Nov 2012?! I had a 5 dollar flyer and would love to of had a signed dollar bill from ya! Hope to get a chance to try again some day! Will bring the RR next time!
Ah Mas, why couldn’t ya have done that during our class in SC Nov 2012?! I had a 5 dollar flyer and would love to of had a signed dollar bill from ya! Hope to get a chance to try again some day! Will bring the RR next time!
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